Impact of Clubs on Campus
Clubs can teach you new skills relevant to your post-grad goals, introduce you to new friends, and push you to have new experiences. With over 1,500 student organizations on campus, there is no shortage of possibilities to get involved and learn something new. Read on to discover some examples of students benefiting from clubs!
Getting Civically Engaged with ASUC Vote Coalition
The ASUC Vote Coalition is the official nonpartisan ASUC department under the Office of the External Affairs Vice President dedicated to voter registration and civic engagement at UC Berkeley. You can find them tabling on Upper Sproul with free snacks and stickers getting students registered to vote, or informing them of their options for voting in Berkeley.
Carmen Berry, majoring in Society and Environment, Class of 2025: “My favorite thing about being a part of political organizations on campus like VoteCo is that it allows me to connect with individuals with different perspectives who are all united around a shared goal—which in our case is increasing voter registration. By facilitating open communication between people of different backgrounds and opinions, we can create more insightful solutions for ongoing issues within our shared Berkeley community. Because of my work alongside VoteCo, I’ve had the opportunity to participate in political campaigns and the creation of local policies that benefit the lives of my fellow UC Berkeley students and me as well. I would recommend that any student who has a passion for public policy and civic engagement join the ASUC Vote Coalition!”
Melissa Mora-Gonzalez, majoring in English, Class of 2025: “I joined VoteCo my junior year and have learned so much about civic engagement and the many different ways students can get involved since then. Carmen and I are both in the Communications department on the VoteCo team, so we handle social media engagement in addition to tabling to get students registered to vote. Since this year is an election year we also had Votechella to coordinate, our biggest event we put on in collaboration with ASUC SUPERB. We registered voters, listened to great musical performances, and overall had a lot of fun. My involvement in VoteCo even led to me applying to and accepting a six-month-long fellowship with a non-profit dedicated to getting Gen Z civically engaged and excited about history.”
Carmen (left) and Melissa (right) tabling for VoteCo on National Voter Registration Day.
Finding a Home with the UC Rally Committee
The “official guardians of Cal Spirit and Traditions,” the UC Rally Committee coordinates many events on campus, from the Bonfire Rally every November to Card Stunts at football games. Serving as ambassadors of UC Berkeley, they are behind what makes Cal so fun.
Rachel Holmes, majoring in Media Studies, Class of 2026: “I joined the UC Rally Committee pretty early into my freshman year at UC Berkeley and it was the best decision I made here. I was quickly able to find a group of amazing friends and a really strong support system within the club that made adjusting to college life as a freshman a million times easier. I found so much joy in attending Rally Comm events, and it really just helped UC Berkeley feel like home. I would absolutely recommend that others join Rally Comm if they’re looking to immerse themselves in campus spirit, but if not Rally Comm there are so many different student orgs and clubs that can help you find your place at Cal.”
You can read more about Rachel’s time with Rally Comm in our blog Rally Comm Traditions.
Rachel (right) with Oski and Rally Comm friends. Photo by the Rally Committee.
Learning New Skills with CALICO
The California Informatics Competition (CALICO) organizes algorithmic programming contests to help students learn problem-solving and algorithms in fun ways. Their biggest event is an annual competition with over 1,000 participants from around the world.
Reva Gokhale, Society & Environment, Class of 2027: “I joined CALICO in my very first semester at Cal. A welcoming, close-knit club with no application process, the CALICO team immediately stood out to me as a group I wanted to join. The team runs a programming contest for high school students all over the world. They were ready to let me try out whatever roles I was interested in until I found my niche in social media management. Being in this club has given me a chance to explore skills like marketing and event planning that I never would have learned just from taking classes; I definitely feel like I’ve made a lot of friends and had a great time being on a team that’s not directly in the same field as my major. I’d recommend this club to anyone who is interested in programming, algorithms, design, and outreach. At CALICO, there’s never pressure to conform with the team or dedicate too much of your time to the club. So, this is a perfect fit for those who can set deadlines for themselves, be open to learning new skills, and be an enthusiastic part of a team!”
Reva (right) with other members of CALICO.
Pursuing a Passion with CAP Club
Nina Takahashi, Film & Media, Class of 2026: “Since UC Berkeley’s film & media curriculum is mostly theory-based, joining the Cinematic Arts & Production (CAP) Club is the perfect way to gain hands-on production experience—for film majors and non-film majors alike!”
Learn more about CAP Club in our blog, Meet CAP Club.
Your Turn!
Whether you decide to apply for a club or join a club that’s part of the Blue Heart Initiative, you’re sure to learn something new and make some friends along the way! If you’re not sure if a club is right for you or if you want to hear from members, don’t be afraid to send a DM or an email.
Melissa Mora-Gonzalez, Class of 2025, is majoring in English and minoring in conservation and resource studies.
Want More?
- Find the right clubs and organizations for you, and learn how to get started in your club journey.
- Discover environmentally focused clubs and organizations and learn about student advocacy.
- Learn how to find and join clubs as a transfer.